Collector gives Amit Shah clean chit in MCC violation case

GANDHINAGAR: BJP president Amit Shah has been given a clean chit by the Ahmedabad district collector and election officer, with regard to the alleged violation of the election model code of conduct during his roadshow on March 30, before he filed his nomination.


The

Gujarat

Congress had on Tuesday filled a complaint against Shah, the BJP’s Gandhinagar candidate, for inconveniencing patients in hospitals and the general public during his roadshow in Ahmedabad. Sources privy to the developments said, “On the basis of the ARO report, the district collector and election officer Vikrant Pandey filled report stating there was no violation of the model code of conduct by the candidate or the BJP. The rally and the public meeting was conducted according to the plan submitted to election officers and the commissioner of police. The collector reported that there was no violation of the MCC, however, if there was any violation of traffic rules or public inconvenience, that must be probed by the commissioner of police.”

Congress spokesman Manish Doshi, in his complaint to Gujarat chief electoral officer (CEO) S.Murali Krishna wrote, “With the notification of the Election Commission at lndia, the model code of conduct has come into force. The BJP candidate from the Gandhinagar parliamentary constituency, Amitkumar Anilchandra Shah, went to file his nomination on March 30, Saturday, after a roadshow and rally. There are three big hospitals with emergency and trauma-care departments near the Sardar Patel statue en route. There are so many patients being treated at these hospitals, including some who are critical. How permission for loudspeakers can be given here?”

“At the same time, throughout the roadshow route, stages were erected on the roads and thousands of citizens were stranded and put to enormous harassment. Traffic was stopped on public roads, all of a sudden,” he had complained.

Now on the basis of the report of the collector and district election officer, a final decision will be taken by the CEO.